The 5 step guide to self-reflection for educators

In this webinar we were joined by Ron Grady, early childhood educator and founder of Childology! Ron joined us to discuss how to use reflective practice in a childcare center. He shared the first steps we need to know for starting a habit of reflection and how journaling will greatly benefit our work with children. During this webinar we were given the opportunity to think about what we want to reflect on (is it relationship development? literacy development? childhood in general?) and how to gain valuable insights from these reflections. We gained valuable strategies for how to find the right time, place and method to reflect and how to then use these reflections in our documentation and classroom planning.

🎤Our Special Guests:

Ron Grady – Educator and Founder of Childology!

Ron is an early childhood educator with a passion for child-centered and constructivist methodologies. He encourages his children to learn through art, nature, and play and enjoys exploring the ways that these connect to deep processes of creative, personal, and academic inquiry. Ron has a Master’s in ECE from the Erikson Institute and a B.A. in Psychology from Stanford. Ron currently teaches at NOLA Nature School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and his writing has appeared in Young Children, Teaching Young Children, and Exchange.

🧪Key Learning Outcomes from Ron!

• Every early learning professional will have something different motivating them. Try asking yourself “what are my goals for self-reflection, how am I currently reflecting, and where can I stretch and grow?”
• The first step to reflection and creating an ongoing reflective practice is journaling, or getting your thoughts down.
• The second step is deciding on a focus. This is where you decide what you want to examine, consider and reflect on. For example, you might be intrigued about the way children’s play is evolving. Ask yourself, what do I see? What do I wonder? What do I notice? What does it mean?
• The third step is finding the right time and choosing the right place. Do you have a favourite place or time of day?
• The fourth step is to share your reflections. Concrete stories, examples and illustrations of our process can inspire others and invites us to critically examine ourselves.
• The final step is using reflections to plan and grow. Reflection is tool that invites you into action and development. Use your notes to discover strengths, patterns and areas of growth for you and the children in your care.
• Be honest with yourself during this process.

✨Resources

• [Website] – Childology!
• [Instagram] @childology.co
• [Podcast] – How reflective practices stoke curiosity and deepen relationships

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To learn more about different early childhood education curricula and programming approaches available today, check out our post on the history of early childhood education.